月度中国宏观洞察：四中全会指明“十五五”方向，中美贸易关系再次缓和-20251030

Economic Outlook - The 20th Central Committee's Fourth Plenary Session emphasizes technology innovation and expanding domestic demand as key components of the 14th Five-Year Plan[1] - The projected real GDP growth target for 2026-2030 is estimated to be in the range of 4.5%-5.0%, with a target of around 5% for next year[1] - The actual GDP growth rate for Q3 was slightly above expectations at 4.8%, while nominal GDP growth fell to 3.7%[3] Trade Relations - The US-China trade conflict escalated in October but quickly reached a consensus following the fifth round of trade talks from October 24-27[2] - China's exports to the US saw a year-on-year decline of 27% in September, although the rate of decline narrowed by 6.1 percentage points[10] - Despite the recent easing of tensions, the potential for renewed trade conflicts remains, particularly in light of the focus on short-term issues in negotiations[9] Domestic Demand and Investment - Domestic demand indicators, particularly retail sales, have weakened, with September retail sales growth dropping to 3.0% from an average of 5.4% in Q2[21] - Fixed asset investment turned negative in September, with a year-on-year decline of 0.5%[22] - Infrastructure investment is expected to be a key support for overall fixed asset investment recovery, aided by new policy measures totaling 500 billion yuan[46] Inflation and Monetary Policy - The GDP deflator index for Q3 was approximately -1%, indicating persistent deflationary pressures[30] - CPI showed slight improvement in September, but core CPI has been rising for five consecutive months, driven by specific sectors like gold and durable goods[36] - Monetary policy is expected to remain cautious, with potential for further rate cuts if economic conditions do not improve[3]